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Bolingbrook, IL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Bolingbrook, IL, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Governing ordinance: Will County Stormwater Management Ordinance, as amended
Administering official: Village engineer
Residential lowest floor: Elevated to at least the FPE
Attached garage elevation: At least 1 foot above the BFE
Compensatory storage: 1.5x displaced floodplain storage volume
Applicable FIRMs: Separate DuPage and Will County map sets

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Bolingbrook, IL.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Bolingbrook, IL on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Bolingbrook adopts the Will County Stormwater Management Ordinance (WCSMO) village-wide under Code Sec. 16-85, but tightens two of its rules: new residential lowest floors must reach the flood protection elevation and attached garages must sit at least one foot above the base flood elevation. Both Will County and DuPage County flood insurance rate maps apply, reflecting the village's split location.

The Will County Stormwater Management Ordinance ("WCSMO"), as adopted by the county on January 1, 2004, as hereafter amended or modified, is adopted by the village and shall apply in all areas of the village... ... Section 55.062(c)(1) of the WCSMO is amended by deleting it and replacing it with the following: "The lowest floor including basements of all new residential structures, substantially improved structures and additions shall be elevated to at least the FPE. An attached garage for a structure must be elevated to at least 1.0 feet above the BFE."

View official code

Full Breakdown

Sec. ' The village remains bound by the Will County Stormwater Management Planning Committee's certification rules, under which the county can reassert direct jurisdiction if Bolingbrook's enforcement lapses. Sec. 16-85(b) makes two local amendments to the county ordinance: it designates the village engineer, rather than a county official, to administer and enforce the WCSMO inside Bolingbrook, and it rewrites the county's elevation standard so that the lowest floor, including basements, of all new or substantially improved residential structures must reach at least the flood protection elevation (FPE), with attached garages elevated at least one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE).

5 times the flood storage volume displaced. Because the village straddles the Will/DuPage county line, Sec. 16-85(c) lists two distinct sets of effective flood insurance rate maps that developers must consult depending on which side of the boundary a parcel sits: four DuPage County FIRM panels dated August 1, 2019, and thirteen Will County FIRM panels dated February 15, 2019, corresponding to studies covering the DuPage River, its East and West branches, Lily Cache Creek, and Lily Cache Lane Tributary.

Violations & Fines

The WCSMO is administered and enforced within the village by the village engineer under the Sec. 16-85(b)(1) amendment, and the more stringent of the village's own stormwater rules or the WCSMO controls whenever the two conflict. New or substantially improved residential construction that does not meet the FPE lowest-floor and one-foot BFE garage elevation amendments does not conform to the adopted ordinance and is subject to enforcement under the WCSMO as amended for the village.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bolingbrook have its own floodplain ordinance or does it use the county's?

It adopts the Will County Stormwater Management Ordinance village-wide under Sec. 16-85(a), then amends specific provisions locally. Where the village's amendments and the county ordinance conflict, the more stringent standard controls under the same section.

How high must a new home's lowest floor be built in a Bolingbrook floodplain?

Sec. 16-85(b)(2) requires the lowest floor, including basements, of all new residential structures, substantially improved structures and additions to be elevated to at least the flood protection elevation (FPE), with an attached garage elevated at least one foot above the base flood elevation (BFE).

Which flood maps apply since Bolingbrook is in two counties?

Sec. 16-85(c) lists both sets: four DuPage County FIRM panels dated August 1, 2019, and thirteen Will County FIRM panels dated February 15, 2019, so which maps control depends on which county's portion of the village a parcel sits in.

Who enforces the floodplain rules in Bolingbrook?

The village engineer, not a Will County official, administers and enforces the adopted Stormwater Management Ordinance inside the village under the amendment in Sec. 16-85(b)(1), even though the underlying ordinance and its maps originate with Will County.

Sources & Official References

[1]Village of Bolingbrook Code of Ordinances (Municode)

Other rules in Bolingbrook

Fence Regulations: Height LimitsSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Flood Elevation RequirementsSome Restrictions Vehicle Idling RestrictionsSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Decibel LimitsSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions Fence Regulations: Material RestrictionsSignificant Restrictions Fence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome Restrictions

All Bolingbrook rules

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